Key-operated lock



Feb. 23, 1965 R. E. PARLIER KEY-OPERATED LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 21, 1963 R. E. PARLIER' KEY-OPERATED LOCK Feb! 2 3.,v 11965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2-1 1,9763

lock except when i V: In order that the 1 3,17031'7 r KEY-OPERATED LOCK V Roger E. Earlier, SAve. de Qrozet, Geneva; Switzerland Filed May 21, 1963, Ser. No. 281,948 a I '(ilaims priority, application Switzerland, May 24, 1962,

2 tClaims. (Cl. 70-664) This invention concerns a'key-operated lock.

According to the invention thereis provided a key operated lock comprising a rotatable barrel in a frame,

nited StmSP I 3,176,317, Patented Feb. I 23, 1965 FIGURE 7 is a plan view ofran 'element used in an ice 7 alternative arrangement.

The lock illustrated is of the double-barrel kind and 7 comprises two opposite barrels 2,2 which are disposed in said barrel containing a series of wards, each ward being received in one of a series of parallel guiding slots which extend diametrically across the barrel, said wardsbeing spring-biassed' towards one or other of two diametrically opposite locking grooves in said frame such that,on re-' moval of the key from the lock,the wards move to a locking position in which they engage one or other of the two j diametrically opposite locking grooves said wards being so shaped that they can be'fitted into the guiding slots within According to one feature of this invention thebarrel may comprise two parts which engage one another by way i i of a contact surface lying parallel with the "longitudinal, axis of the barrel andsaid guiding slots may be disposed v in one of two parts formingthe barrel, the slots opening 7 onto the contact surface and having a rectilinear base :parallel with the contact surface. l

Very conveniently theguiding slots may widen-out to provide groove s whi ch are parallel'with such slots; these 7 grooves serving to housethe springs which bias the wards t towards theirlocking position, Each groove may servejtoj" p 1 house {a spring for biassing theappropriate ward towards the loclring grooves. According ito a still further feature of this invention each said spring may -have one of its ends bearing agaii'ist'an' abutment o'n itsward atrdiinay have its other end bearingagainst, a bearing plate conveniently or each grooye for receiving the bearing plates maybe shallower than the grooves that house the spring biassirig '20; the barrel either way round to co-operate with either one v c of the edges of the key used to open the lock.

a frame 1 and retained axially in said frame 1 by rings 3, and a key bit 4 rotatably mounted on the inner ends of t the two barrels 2,1 2? (FIGURE 1). The two barrels -2, 2'

are identical and-each comprise a two-element body in the form of a main element or part 5 having substantially cir-l cular terminal portions 5a, 5b interconnected by acent ralj portion'Sc which in cross-section'resembles a seginent'of a circle-rand an auxiliary element'or part6 which in shape resembles a segment of a cylinder and'which is engaged in the main part 5; The two parts 5, 6 of each barrel are interconnected by a hollow screw 7 which has a slotted countersunk head 7a and a tailpiece 712 (FIGURE 2).

' The two parts 5, s form a substantially cylindrical assembly rotatablein the frame 1.

The key bit 4 is formed with a rectangularaperturefia, v v

and each of the two barrels 2, 2' comprises a U-shaped member fihavinga central part 8a adapted toengage'in the aperture 44; so thatithe key; bit 4 can rotate solidly with one or other ofthe barrels 2,,2'. Oneof the parallel arms of the U-rnembers 8is received in the hollow screw 7 7 ofthe corresponding barrel, andtthe other such arm is received in a parallel aperture 9 in the barrel part 5.

Springs 19 disposed 'below the U-shaped members 8 tend t to urge the same towards the key bit 4 (FIGURE 2 Theter'minal portions 511, 5b ofthe part Stand the part 6, are pierced with an axial passage 1-1 in which the shank 12a of a fiat key 12 cm slide; in the drawings the key it is" shown introduced into the loc k-barrel 2, The keytshank \Vlih'thii U-shaped member 8 of the barrel in'which the c key is engaged to movcthe member} into engagement with'the keybit-4whildisengagirig the U-shaped member 'S of thejother barrelfrom the key bit 4,1in known manner. The passagesin the frame which'receive thebarrels are each formed with; two axial ,locking' grooves 13,14}

this formed with a lateral groove 12b, 'an d the passage i i! 1 1a in the outer ortio -sa er the part5 has. a matching rib lib allowing the key topass only inone direction.

Key lengthis such that the keyf front end 12:; co-opferates which are diametrically, opposite one i another -andwhich are engaged hy the ends of wards to be described geranc after; the purpose of the wardsisnto prevent the barrels from being rotated by a key of the wrong shape.

t e Wards towards their locking positiom-said bearing! plates conveniently having a central portion shaped to con:

position. A r w I invention maybe more readily understood one embodiment of the same will now'be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal'sectional view throiigh the embodiment, taken "along, the line 11.of FIGURE 2,

and taken along the 1ine3-3 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4- is a fragmentary perspective view'on an enlarged scale of a part of the lock,

taken along the g '50, prom substantially *with cross-sectional shape "Qf the grooves which house said sprgingsa Desirably thetwo'lo'ck ing grooves inthe frame may betslightly" oifset 'laterally 1 from the diametricplane of the barrel and to the same sidethereof to restrain the key from withdrawal from the the barrel is in' the-required angular v FiGURE 2 is a sectional view perpendicular to the sec-* tion in FIGURE 1' and taken along the line 2-2 thereof,

FIGURE 3 isa cross-sectional view on a reducedscale "The part 6 or each barreliisformedwith seven guiding slots 1-5 whiclivaref equidistant from one another and. which are disposed in planesgpetpendicular to the barrel axis A A.;The slots 15 open'into the'bottom' of wider 1 parallel grooyes ldin afflat-centactsurf ace 17 of the part 6, the surface 17' engagingwith a corresponding contact. c i surface of the part 5 (FIGURE 4 As can be seen; in

FIGUREE, thebase 18 of the slots'ifi is parallel with the contact surface 17. The seven slots iS-serve to guide ,sever1wards -19 which have one long s'tr'aightside'fllin contact'with the slot base 18, and a parallel side Zia, 21b y I in contactwith the plane contact surfaceof the part 5. V

. {Each ward19 .is formed with a recess 22 comprising a base part 23which is disposed infthe thin part 15 of theslot and through which the key shank 12a extends, the recess 22 also having an entry part 24 disposed in the wider groove 16 (FIGURES 4 and 6). One edge,

23a, of the recess 22 is adapted to cooperate with the'key bottom edge 12d, While a spring 25 which is compressed between anedge 24a of the rece'ss 22 and a bearing I plate 25, tends to raise the ward 19 (FIGURE, 6), When 7 no key is inserted the wardt19 is moved by the spring 25 into atop end position determined by anedge 24b oi the recess 22 abutting the bottom surface of the hear ing plate 26. v In this position the'ward en'd'part 19a proc jects beyond the cylindrical outer surface of the barrel aperture 28 are separated from one another by a continuous part 3'8 which considerably increases-the mechanical strengthof the ward. When the key moves in the barrel, the passage of a raised part of the key, such as the part 122, lowers the ward l9, and the Ward end part 1% is made to extend beyond the outside surface of the barrel and briefly penetrates into the groove 14. Since the locking grooves 13, 14 are slightly offset laterally to the right from the barrel axis BB (FIGURE 6), the key can be withdrawn from the lock only when the barrel isin the angular position illustrated, in which position the barrel is locked immediately the key is with-t rawn. a 1

The bearing plate 26 is shown separately and in plan view in FIGURE 5. The plate 25 comprises a central part 2n; of the same shape as the cross-s ssion of the groove 1:5, and two lateral parts 265 wh ch, as can be seen in FIGURE 4, are engaged in a longitudinal groove 27a in the plane surface ll? of the part 6, the groove 27a extending in a direction perpendicular to the slots 15,;16' (FIGURES 1 and 4). a Y

The groove 27a which is shallower than the grooves 16 and which extends over the whole lengthof the part 6, is. laterally ofiset from that axial plane of the barrel which isperpendicular to the contact surface 17. A seend groove 27b identical to the groove ZFais disposed on the other side of such, planev with the, same oll set'but (FIGURES 1 and 4) v I r The wards 19 can be mounted'reversed in the guiding for all or groups of the locks to be made. In cases like this, the number of combinations which conventional barrel locks can provide is very soon exhausted, whereas with the lock according to the invention the fact that the wards can be reversed makes it unnecessary to provide extra baffles, Another advantage is that it is easy to fit the wards i and springs in the barrel part 6, and all the moving parts are disposed within the barrels which can be completely assembled independently of the frame.

While I have disclosed two embodiments of the present v invention, it is to be understood that these embodiments are given by example only and not in a limiting sense,

'- the scope of the present invention being dctermincdby slots 15 to co-operate with either of the key-edges. For instance, the ward Z nearestthe key bit 4 is adapted, to

co-operate with the left-hand edge E of the key (FIG- URE 1), whereas the penultimate ward Y, which is the other way'round as compared withthe ward Z, is adapted to co-operate with the right-hand edge F of the key; As canbe seen in FTGUREA, the bearingplate 262, associated with the ward was received in the groove" '27a- (FIGURE 4,), whereas the plate 26y oftheward'lfijt disposed reversed is disposed in the grooveTb. In the lock illustrated in the drawings,'the wards U, X,;'Zof the barrels are disposed in the same direction and co operate with recesses. in the key edge E, whereas the wards T, V, W,

Y are disposed in the opposite way roundto the wards U, X, Z and co-operate with the key edge F (FIGURE 1).

The lock illustrated has the following advantages:

The slots and grooves 13, 16, 27a, 27b inthe part; 6 open onto the contact surface 17 thereof and can be readily embodiedlsince they extend right through the part Also, since the wards 19-can beufitted to be moved in either direction, the number ofpossible combinations which can be provided by a given number of-wards and a given numberof ward heights is increased considerably. This increase in the possible number'of combinations the objects and the claims.

I claim:

l. A key-operated lock comprising a frame, structure on said frame defining a pair of substantially dirnetrically opposite locking grooves, a barrel rotatably housed in said frame, structure on the barrel defining aseries of diametrically extendingguiding slots, a series of Wards for movement in said slots, and spring means adapted to bias said wards to a loclringposition in said locking grooves, said wards being so shaped that they can be fittedinto the guiding slots within the barrel to move in one direction orjin the reverse direction to cooperate with either one of the edges of the key used to open the loclt, said barrel comprising two parts which engage one 7 on said frame defining a pair of substantially diametrically opposite locking grooves, a barrel rotatably housed ,in'

said frame, structure ontthe barrel defining av series of diametrically, extending guiding slots, at seriesof wards for movement in said slots, a series of grooves definedfby widened portions of said slots being provided, a series of springs, being housed within-said grooves to bias said wards towards said locking grooves, abearing plate positioned transversely of each of the said; grooves housing the said springs,.such that each spring is positioned within its groove between itsbearing plate and the Ward which it is biassing towardsalockingposition,said grooves i for receiving the bearingplates being shallower than the grooves which house the springs and said bearing plates which can be provided is a great help in solving theparticular problem of devising a series of locks associated with different individual keys, and yet enable skeleton keys 5 772,112 10/04" Gleschak 70477 X 1,419,393 6/22 Lozon Q -3641 1,489,854 4/24 Shinn 70'364 2,155,440 4/39 Olson 470-353 7 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,031,541 3/53" France.

having: a central portion shaped to conform with the cross-sectional shape of the grooves which house said; springs;

' References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/37 Great Britain. 7 ALBERT H. KAMPE, ri ar Examiner. 

2. A KEY-OPERATED LOCK COMPRISING A FRAME, STRUCTURE ON SAID FRAME DEFINING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE LOCKING GROOVES, A BARREL ROTATABLY HOUSED IN SAID FRAME, STRUCTURE ON THE BARREL DEFINING A SERIES OF DIAMETRICALLY EXTENDING GUIDING SLOTS, A SERIES OF WARDS FOR MOVEMENT IN SAID SLOTS, A SERIES OF GROOVES DEFINED BY WIDENED PORTIONS OF SAID SLOTS BEING PROVIDED, A SERIES OF SPRINGS BEING HOUSED WITHIN SAID GROOVES TO BIAS SAID WARDS TOWARDS SAID LOCKING GROOVES, A BEARING PLATE POSITIONED TRANSVERSELY OF EACH OF THE SAID GROOVES HOUSING THE SAID SPRINGS, SUCH THAT EACH SPRING IS POSITIONED WITHIN ITS GROOVE BETWEEN ITS BEARING PLATE AND THE WARD WHICH IT IS BIASSING TOWARDS A LOCKING POSITION, SAID GROOVES FOR RECEIVING THE BEARING PLATES BEING SHALLOWER THAN THE GROOVES WHICH HOUSE THE SPRINGS AND SAID BEARING PLATES HAVING A CENTRAL PORTION SHAPED TO CONFORM WITH THE 